Sole bruising causes lameness in horses worked on hard or stony ground. The barefoot movement raises welfare questions about appropriate hoof care for different horses and work types.
The welfare implications of barefoot management depend entirely on the individual horse and work context. For some horses on appropriate terrain and with sufficient sole thickness, barefoot management improves long-term hoof health compared to unbalanced shod hooves. For other horses — particularly those with thin soles, metabolic conditions predisposing to laminitis, or work on hard or stony ground — barefoot management without adequate transitional support causes sole bruising and lameness. The barefoot movement' s ideological element sometimes leads to welfare compromise when horses experiencing lameness on hard ground are kept without shoes on principle. The welfare-positive approach is evidence-based and individual: shoes, boots, or barefoot based on the specific horse's needs rather than doctrine.